STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 May 1940, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

DOUBLE FEATURE PROGRAMME. The double feature programme, "That's Right—You're Wrong” and "Married and in Love," will be finally shewn tonight. “THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME.” Magnificent, awe-inspiring, amazingly impressive and eye-dazzling! These words best describe “The Hunchback cf Notre Dame,” which will be shown at the State Theatre tomorrow night. A ■remarkable and convincing achievement in every department from basic idea to actual performance, “The Hunchback" can safely be hailed as one of the most spectacular motion pictures Hollywood has produced in the last decade, and it ranks with the screen's greatest films. Vastly superior in every respect to past efforts to interpret ihe spacious and melodramatic Victor Hugo thriller, the current version is a personal triumph for Charles Laughton, whose characterisation of the crippled cathedral bell-ringer is without question his crowning contribution to the screen. Equally notable is his superb support, including a host of stage and screen celebrities—Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Thomas Mitchell. Maureen O’Hara. Edmond O’Brien, Alan Marshal, Walter Hampden and Katharine Alexander. Simple in Ihe telling but breath-tak-ingly powerful on the screen, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” is a grim story of loyalty and sacrifice and love, moving swiftly in impressive style against its vast panorama of medieval settings and characters astir with primitive emotions. The plot dwells on Quasimodo, the caretaker of the bells of Notre Dame. He falls hopelessly in love with a gypsy charmer, Esmeralda, whose exotic dancing at the annual Feast of Fools at the same time arouses the evil passions of the King's High Justice, Frollo. The nobleman, repulsed, slays one of her admirers, after which he has her accused of the murder, and convicted. How Quasimodo saves Esmeralda at the cost.of his own life when the villainous nobleman tries to carry her off, makes for a gripping climax rarely equalled in drama, surprises and thrilling moments.